Improvement in platform-scales



STRUNG & ROSS.

Platform Scales. 6

No. 55,963. l Patented June 26, 1866.

lUNITED STATES PATENT Ottici-E.

F. M. STRONG AND THOS. ROSS, OF BRANDON, VERMONT, ASSIGNORS TO JOHN HOW/TE, JR., OF THE SAME PLACE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 55,963, dated June 2G, 1866.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, FRANCIS M. STRONG and THOMAS Ross, of Brandon, in the county of Rutland and State of Vermont, have made new and useful Improvements in Platform- Scales 5 and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the nature, construction, and operation of the same, sufeient to enable one skilled in the art to which it appertains to construct and use the same, reference being had to the accoinpanying drawings, which are made part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a plan or top view, the weighbox being sectioned on the line y y, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is an elevation of that part of the machine containing the weigh-box and looking in the direction of arrow l from the sectionline a' fr, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the platform portion from the section-line w m, Fig. l, looking in the direction of arrow 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the weigh-box on line e e, Fig. n. Fig. 5 is an elevation ot' that portion of the apparatus to which the light ends of the main levers are connected.

The same letters refer to like parts in the different figures.

The invention consists in the construction of the bearers upon which the platform is imposed; in the construction of the compound link by which the light end of the main le- `vers are connected with the arm on one end of the extensible rod which connects the levers at the platform with the levers in the weigh-box; in the extensible rod which connects the works at the platform with works in the weigh-box and which admits of the scale being adapted to variations of distance between the two 5 in the method of operating the poise from the outside of the weigh-box, and of indicating' by stop-pieces on a graduated scale the determinate position for the poise-shifter.

A A is the platform, which is supported at its four corners by that number of bearers on two shafts, B B. To these rocking arms are attached levers O O, whose light ends are mutually linked io the secondary lever D, which conveys the power toward the scale-beam.

The bearers are counterparts of each other, and one supports each corner of the platform.

G is the base or sill, and under each corner ofthe platform is a block, H, which has bearings for the edges a of the shafts B, while the upwardly-projectin g edges b of the shafts support a T-shaped bearing, c, across the upper surface of which are depressions containing` rollers d d, which latter support a plate, c, whose under side has corresponding depressions which t upon the rollers. On the upper side of the plate e is a similar concern, but at right angles tothe former ones, and this is occupied by a roller, j', which supports the shoe 7L under the platform-timbers. `By this arrangement the platform has a longitud inal movement on the rolls d d and a lateral one on the rolls f, and that without producin y any motion in the bearing c, which might be injurious to the knife-edges which support it.

By the means described the weight of the platform and its load, if ithas one, is thrown upon the shafts at points inside of their bearings at c, and the levers C being depressed by the weight, their light ends are caused to set in motion the train of levers which are eventually connected to the scale-beam, and which I shall proceed to notice.

At the light ends of the lever C are bearing-edges i, which rest within the loop 7' of the links 7.', the upper ends of the said links having loops Z, which rest upon a bearing, m, which is supported upon the secondary lever D, above spoken of. The lever D is of a horseshoe shape, and is supported at olie end by hangers u n from a bracket, o, which rises from the sill G, and at its other end is supported by a link, p, and suitable bearing-edges from one end of the arm E, which is fastened upon the shaft F and supported at its other end by a link from a pillar, q, which rises from the sill G.

Each end of the shaft F has a lever-arm of similar character, the one E, the nearest to the platform, having been described. The other arm, E', is suspended by links and rod r from the scale-beam N, while its other end is attached by a rod and hook, L, to the sill of the weigh-frame M. The arms E and E, or one of them, are adjustable on the shaft F, so that the weigh-frame M may be set nearer to or farther from the platform, according to the convenience or necessities of the case.

The portion of the apparatus consisting of the shaft F and its arms E E is suspended at two points from the pillar q, and the Scalebeam K, at another point, is attached to the loor at L, and at another point to the secondary lever D, whose motions cause the said por tion F E E to vibrate on the said points q and L; and as the arms E E are of equal length, the same effect is communicated to the scalebeani at the point of connection with T as is communicated from the secondary lever D.

The links 7c, which connect the bearings on the levers C C and D, are flaring, so as to have a wider upper bearing, and this so that the links 7c may stand inclined in opposite directions; and it' from any cause the position of the levers should become deranged, one would be more nearly perpendicular While the other was less so, and would compensate for the derangement.

The weigh-frame M has a box inclosing the scale-beam N, and the door or lid O is shown raised in Fig. 2.

The beam is graduated with notches out to any desired subdivision ot' weight. The poise s is suspended from these notches by a link with an oblong opening to receive the beam. This link is rigidly secured to and forms part ofthe poise, and has the upper end of the opening formed into a knife-edge to rest in the notches.

On either side of the poise are lugs t, to rest in the notches of the compound lever P, by which it is raised from the beam and moved from point to point. The lever is slipped on the rod Qby the handles, which project through an opening in the weigh-box for that purpose.

On the inner side of the lid O is a slotted plate, u, graduated to correspond exactly with the graduations on the scale-beam. On the plate a are notched stop-pieces tu, secured by screw-bolts from the inside. The number of stop-pieces w, in case of its use as a chargingscale for a blast-furnace, would correspond with the number of different materials making the charge, and each one should be marked with the name of the material it representssay, for instance, coal, ore, and the different I when the poise is supported from the corresponding notch of the scale-beam.

The equilibrium of the beam is indicated by the rod y, which is a prolongation of the loop at the point of the scale-beam, and, passing up through the top of the box, is terminated by a cross-piece, which is exposed to view, but protected from injury by a guard.

The construction and operation of the machine have thus been described in good faith; but triiin g alterations may, ot' course, be made in it without departing from the principle of its construction.

What we claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of the levers C C and the links 7c k, with their upper and lower bearings, m i, and the secondary lever D.

2. The shaft F, in combination with the adjustable arms E E', as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination of the poise s, lever P x, graduated plate u, and movable stop-pieces to, as and for the purpose described.

FRANCIS M. STRONG. [ns1 THOMAS ROSS. [n s Witnesses:

GEO. R. BoTTUM, J. F. F. HALE. 

